DCS Lina Headphone Amplifier User manual

Lina Headphone Amplifier
Getting Started Guide
dCS LINA Headphone Amplifier Getting Started Guide A5.indd 2 01/12/2021 16:08

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View the full User Guide
To view the full User Guide for your LINA Headphone
Amplifier, visit https://dcsaudio.com/documentation
Document information
Published on: 14/10/2021
Document ID: DCS320681 - Rev1.0
Copyright
Copyright © 2021 Data Conversion Systems Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
Information contained in this manual is subject to change without notice, and whilst it is
checked for accuracy, no liabilities can be accepted for errors.
dCS is Data Conversion Systems Ltd. Company registered in England No. 2072115.
dCS is a registered trademark of Data Conversion Systems Ltd.
Other product and company names may be trademarks or registered trademarks of other
companies, and are the property of their owners. They are used only for explanation,
without intent to infringe.

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What's in the box
dCS LINA Headphone
Amplifier Power cable (2m) Power Link cable (0.5m)
Getting Started Guide Welcome letter

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Front
Item Description
1¼" (6.35 mm) jack
output
Connect headphones.
24-pin balanced XLR
output
Connect headphones.
33-pin balanced XLR
output (left channel)
Connect headphones (for use together with
item4).
43-pin balanced XLR
output (right
channel)
Connect headphones (for use together with
item3).
5Rotary control Turn to change the volume.

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Item Description
6 Power/Input button When the unit is switched off, press to switch it on.
When the unit is switched on, press to change
input.
When the unit is switched on, press and hold for
2seconds to switch it off.
7Status indicator When the unit is on, the status indicator is bright
white, blue or magenta depending on the input.
8Gain selection switch Select the required gain.

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Rear
Item Description
1 UNBAL.RIGHT
UNBAL.LEFT
Unbalanced RCA analogue inputs. Connects the
unit to an audio source.
2 BAL.RIGHT
BAL.LEFT
Balanced XLR analogue inputs. Connects the unit to
an audio source.
3 BAL.RIGHT
BAL.LEFT
Buffered, balanced XLR analogue inputs. Connects
the unit to an audio source.
4 POWERLINK RJ45 input. Connects the unit to other LINA units to
enable Power Link.
5Power socket, fuse,
and power switch
Power is connected via a standard IEC320
connector, with a power switch and a fuse holder.

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Setting up
1 2
3
Connecting the LINA range
To connect the LINA Network DAC, LINA Master Clock and LINA
Headphone Amplifier together:
1. Position the LINA range.
2. Connect the LINA Network DAC to the LINA Headphone Amplifier.
3. Connect the LINA Master Clock to the LINA Network DAC.

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1. Positioning the LINA range
You can position the units in one of the following ways:
• Place the units side by side.
• Stack the units vertically in the following order:
• LINA Headphone Amplifier at the bottom
• LINA Master Clock in the middle
• LINA Network DAC on top
To prevent overheating, we recommend that you leave some
space around the units to allow for ventilation.

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2. Connecting the LINA Network DAC to the LINA
Headphone Amplifier
You can connect the LINA Network DAC to the LINA Headphone Amplifier
using the balanced XLR sockets.
1. Using two balanced XLR cables, connect the BAL.LEFT and
BAL.RIGHT outputs on the LINA Network DAC to the BAL.LEFT
and BAL.RIGHT inputs on the LINA Headphone Amplifier.
2. On the LINA Headphone Amplifier, choose the unbuffered XLR
input. If the status indicator is not white, press the Power/Input
button until it changes to white.
► For more information, see "Changing the source input" on
page12.
3. Connecting the LINA Master Clock to the LINA Network
DAC
You can lock the network and USB inputs on the LINA Network DAC to the
LINA Master Clock.
1. Switch on the LINA Network DAC and the LINA Master Clock.
2. On the LINA Network DAC, choose the network or USB input.

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3. Using two BNC cables, connect the WORDCLOCK output
sockets on the LINA Master Clock to the WORDCLOCK input
sockets on the LINA Network DAC.
4. Set the clocking sync mode on the LINA Network DAC to Auto .
The LINA Network DAC selects the appropriate clock input and
locks to it.
If you lock an AES or SPDIF input on the LINA Network DAC to
the LINA Master Clock, the source equipment will not be locked
to the Clock, resulting in periodic clicks, dropouts or distortion.
To use the LINA Network DAC in this way, use source equipment
that has a word clock input and a Master Clock with extra
outputs.
Connecting inputs
You can use the input sockets on the LINA Headphone Amplifier to
connect source audio equipment, such as DACs.

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1. At the rear of the LINA Headphone Amplifier, connect suitable
cables.
• If you are using the balanced inputs, connect XLR cables
to the BAL.LEFT and BAL.RIGHT sockets.
• If you are using the unbalanced inputs, connect RCA
phono cables to the UNBAL.LEFT and UNBAL.RIGHT
sockets.
2. Connect the other end of the cables to the source equipment.
3. Switch on the source equipment.
4. If possible, play music on the source equipment to generate an
audio signal.
5. Change the source input on the unit.
► For more information, see "Changing the source input" on
the next page.
Connecting headphones
You can connect headphones to the sockets on the front of the unit.
► For more information, see "Front" on page4.
Before connecting headphones to the unit, turn down the
volume.

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Using the LINA Headphone Amplifier
Changing the source input
To change the source input, press the Power/Input button on the front
of the unit. The status indicator colour shows the current input.
Status indicator
colour
Input
White Balanced XLR. Recommended when connecting the unit to
the LINA Network DAC.
Blue Buffered, balanced XLR
Magenta Unbalanced RCA
Changing the volume
To change the volume, turn the rotary control on the front of the unit.
Changing the gain
You can set the amplifier gain to suit the sensitivity of your headphones.
The gain switch is under the volume rotary control, and has 2 positions:
• To make music quieter, slide the switch to the left to LowGain .
• To make music louder, slide the switch to the right to HighGain .

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Compliance and Safety
FCC compliance statement
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the
limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to part 15 of the
FCC Rules.
These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against
harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment
generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not
installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause
harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no
guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation.
You can determine whether this equipment is causing interference by
turning it off. If the interference stops, it was probably caused by the
equipment or a peripheral device.
If your equipment does cause interference to radio or television
reception, try to correct the interference by one or more of the following
measures:
• Turn the television or radio antenna until the interference stops.
• Move the equipment to one side or the other of the television or
radio.
• Move the equipment further way from the television or radio.
• Plug the equipment into an outlet that is on a different circuit
from the television or radio. (That is, make certain the
equipment and the television or radio are on circuits controlled
by different circuit breakers or fuses.)
(USA only) If necessary, consult dCS Americas Inc. or an experienced
radio / television technician for additional suggestions.

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Changes or modifications not expressly approved by dCS Americas Inc.
could void the manufacturer’s warranty.
This product has demonstrated electromagnetic interference
compliance under conditions that included the use of compliant
peripheral devices and shielded cables between system components. In
order to maintain compliance with FCC regulations, shielded cables
(including Ethernet network cables) must be used with this equipment.
Operation with non-approved equipment or unshielded cables is likely
to result in interference to radio and TV reception.
Responsible party (contact for FCC matters only)
dCS Americas LLC
PNC Bank Bldg
300 Delaware Ave, Suite 210
Wilmington, DE 19801
USA
EU Declaration of Conformity
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the essential
requirements of the following Directives: 2014/30/EU, 2014/35/EU and
2015/863/EU.
This device is certified for indoor use only.
Korea Class B compliance statement
This equipment is for home use, and has acquired electromagnetic
conformity registration, so it can be used not only in residential areas,
but also other areas.

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Safety
To prevent personal injury or damage to the unit, read the following
safety messages before use.
CAUTION
Read and comply with all safety messages and instructions in
this document.
• Follow the cleaning instructions in the User Guide.
• Only install the unit according to the instructions in
this document.
• Do not spill liquid on the unit or allow it to get wet.
• Do not install the unit near heat sources.
• Use only the attachments and accessories specified
by dCS.
CAUTION
To prevent possible hearing damage, do not listen at high
volume levels for long periods of time. Prolonged exposure to
high volumes when using headphones may damage your
hearing.

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CAUTION
To prevent the risk of electric shock and ensure the best audio
performance, connect the unit to mains earth (ground) using
the correct power cable.
• A grounding type plug has two blades and a
grounding prong, which is provided for safety. If the
provided plug does not fit into your outlet, contact a
qualified electrician.
• Do not use the power cable if it is damaged.
• If this unit is not being used for a long period of time,
disconnect the unit from the power supply.
• During lightning storms, disconnect the unit from the
power supply to prevent power surges.
CAUTION
The safety covers on the unit protect you from electric shock.
• Do not remove the safety covers from the unit.
• If you do remove the safety covers from the unit, it
invalidates the warranty.
NOTICE
If the unit is damaged, do not use it and contact a qualified service
engineer. Possible causes of damage to the unit include the
following:
• Liquid is spilled on the unit.
• A heavy object falls on the unit.
• The unit is exposed to rain or moisture.
• The unit is dropped.

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NOTICE
Damage caused to the unit by misuse of a mains regenerator or by a
malfunctioning mains regenerator is not covered by the warranty.
• We do not recommend the use of mains regenerators.
• If you want to use a mains regenerator with variable voltage
and frequency, set the voltage to match your local voltage.
Set the frequency to either 50Hz or 60Hz.
• Do not change the output voltage of the mains generator
while it is connected to the unit.
NOTICE
If the unit is cold and is moved into a warm room, condensation may
form inside the unit. Condensation may interfere with the normal
operation of the unit. If the unit has been kept somewhere cold,
remove all packaging and leave it for 1-2 hours before using it to
allow it to reach room temperature.

dcsaudio.com
|
@dCSonlythemusic
|
[e-mail]
Data Conversion Systems Ltd.
Unit 1, Buckingway Business Park, Anderson Road,
Swavesey, Cambridge, CB24 4AE, UK
dCS LINA Headphone Amplifier Getting Started Guide A5.indd 1 01/12/2021 16:08